Fast Facts:
- 2021 Joseph Drouhin, Chorey-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France ($35.99 @Costco in California – Item #684760)
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: how do you correctly pronounce the name of this wine? Well, let’s put it phonetically in the context of a hypothetical convo with a troublesome relative at your Turkey Day gathering: “you sound very sure of yourself Uncle Elon, would you like another glass of “shore- ay-leh–bone”?
One of the things that us wine pundits agree upon is that pairing wine with the traditional Thanksgiving meal is, in a word, challenging. That is because there are so many flavors to contend with. But one of the tried and true rules of wine and food pairing is that when you are contending with fat, you need a wine that has a firm backbone of acidity to cut it and refresh your palate. Hence our choice here for our Wine of the Week as we ramp up to the food orgy.
This is not the first time we have recommended pairing this varietal (this wine is 100% Pinot Noir) with your holiday meal – it’s a natural – but this is the first time we have suggested to look further afield than wine from the left coast of the USA. Why? Because this wine has more acidity to balance the fruit. It tastes the way Pinot Noir tasted a few decades ago, before pesky climate change. Although climate change has been kind to Burgundy. Its Pinots now taste like those from the west coast of the US did just a few decades ago. Vive la France!
Tasting Notes:
Pours a bright, clear red color. Aromas of blackberry and forest floor are surprising in their intensity. On the palate, a tender, supple, graceful, round body. Very flavorful finish, with a hint of blackberry jam. After a day or two, wild blackberry is the dominant aroma. Would pair really well with roasted poultry (just saying!) grilled meats and salmon and soft cheeses such Brie. ABV = 13.5%
A little history about “the house” of Drouhin. It is one of the most respected grower-merchants in Burgundy. Founded in 1880, the firm is based above the historic cellars in Beaune, which date back to the 13th century. Drouhin was one of the first firms to incorporate modern winemaking techniques into traditional ones. We think you will like the result.
Need More Wine Picks from Costco – or Trader Joe’s Even?
If your wine shopping excursions land you in Costco, prepare by grazing our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.
And if your shopping finds you at Trader Joe’s, you can find our Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.
Happy hunting.
Cheers!
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